Swimming pool



g- 22, 1961 I. w. BAILEY 2,996,729

SWIMMING POOL Filed Dec. '7, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l I. W. BAILEY SWIMMING POOL Aug. 22, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1959 .1...| I TI li k ww 1951 I. w. BAILEY 2,996,729

SWIMMING POOL Filed Dec. 7, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

2, 1961 w. BAILEY 2,996,729

SWIMMING POOL Filed Dec. 7, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 22, 1961 2,996,729 SWHVIMING POOL Isabel W. Bailey, 22W 710 Tamarack Road, Glen Ellyn, Ill. Filed Dec. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 857,927 13 Claims. (Cl. 4172) This invention relates to pools and in particular to swimming pools.

Presently known swimming pool constructions have several disadvantages substantially restricting their usability. One such disadvantage is that a substantial space is required with conventional pool constructions to permit desirable swimming distances such as 50 feet or more. Another disadvantage is that in the conventional pool constructions an inexperienced swimmer may quite easily find himself too far from the pool edge and require assistance in returning to a safe position. Still another disadvantage of conventional pool constructions is limitation on the use thereof to pen'ods of medium to high temperatures, thus substantially restricting the use thereof in geographical areas of relatively rigorous climate.

The present invention is concerned with a new and improved swimming pool construction eliminating the above discussed disadvantages of conventional pool constiuctions and providing improved economy of construction and maintenance and improved usability. It is a pn'ncipal feature of the instant invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved swimming pool construction.

' Another feature of the invention is to provide such a swimming pool construction defining a substantially elongated narrow swimming space wherein a person in the swimming space is always relatively 'adjacent to at least one wall of the pool while yet a substantial swimming distance is provided.

A further feature is the provision of such a swimming pool construction wherein the pool is generally U-shaped to define a sunning area between the legs thereof.

Still another feature is-the provision of such a swimming pool construction arranged for improved controlled limited accessibility.

A still further feature is the provision of such a swimming pool construction having improved heat insulative wall means facilitating maintenance of desirable water temperatures therein.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of such a swimming pool construction including a new and improved cover structure for controllingthe temperature of the air in the space above the water.

A yet further feature is the provision of such a swimming pool cover structure arranged for facilitated variable exposure of the space above the water to the circumambient atmosphere.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan of a swimming pool construction embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation thereof looking in the direction of the corresponding arrows shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation thereof looking in the direction of the corresponding arrows shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation thereof looking in the direction of the corresponding arrows shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6. g V

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a swimming pool construction generally designated 10 includes spaced apart side walls 11 and 12, a pair of end walls 13 and 14 at the opposite ends of the side walls, and a bottom wall 15 co-operatively defining a swimming space 16. Pool construction 10 further includes an adjustable cover or roof 17 cooperating with the side walls and end walls to enclose an air space 18 directly above the swimming space 16 permitting desired activity in the pool while restricting air movement and thermal transfer to and from the pool.

More specifically, side walls 11 and 12 preferably have a substantial longitudinal extent whereby the length of the pool as measured between end walls 13 and 14 along the center line of the pool extending parallel to and midway between the side walls may be of the order of 50 feet or more. The end walls are preferably of relatively short length, herein approximately 7 feet long, and thus, no point in swimming space 16 is more than approximately 3 /2 feet from at least one of the side walls. Resultingly, pool construction 10 provides a swimming distance of substantial length such as 50 feet or more while yet a person in the swimming space always has a side wall relatively close by for support if desired.

.As best seen in FIG. 1, pool construction 10 is preferably arranged in a U-shaped configuration wherein end walls 13 and 14 are substantially coplanar. Thusly, pool 10 defines a sunning space 19 between the legs of the U which may be closed by suitable means such as fence 2! having a lockable gate or door 21 providing controlled access to sunning space 19. It is preferable that access to swimming space 16 be from sunning space 19 only whereby control of the use of the pool may be readily effected. A stile 22 extends from sunning space 19 into swimming space 16 over side wall 11 adjacent end wall 14. A shower gate 23 may be provided at the sunning space end of the stile 22.

Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, the side walls and end walls of pool 10 may be seen to comprise air-filled insulative wall means restricting thermal transfer between the water W in space 16 and the circumambient atmosphere. Side wall 11 includes a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical posts 24 having their lower ends 25 retained in cylindrical concrete bases 26 fixed in a bed 27 of material such as sand. Fixed to posts 24 at a preselected distance, such as 4 feet, above ground level G are pipe supports 28 supporting a pair of horizontally extending pipes 29 and 30. Side Wall 12 includes a plurality of posts 31 similar to posts 24 carrying support brackets 32 similar to suppoIt brackets 28 but socured to posts 31 at a slightly higher elevation such as 5 feet above ground level G. Support brackets 32 carry a pair of horizontally extending pipes 33 and 34. The end walls 13 and 14 similarly include a pair of horizon tally extending pipes 35 and 36 extending between corresponding end posts 24 and 31. The water W is retained in a swimming pool liner 37 including a first portion 38 defining the bottom of swimming space 16, a first side portion 39 defining the inner portion of side wall 11, a second side portion 40 defining the inner portion of side wall 12 and opposite end portions 41 defining the inner portions of end walls 13 and 14. Each of portions 39, 40 and 41 extends over the associated pair of horizontally extending pipes and is provided with suitable weights 42 at the outer edge thereof tensioning the liner 37 in the desired pool forming configuration. Suitable anchor pipes 43 may be provided along the periphery of bottom por-. tion 38 to assist in maintaining the desired configuration.

As best seen in FIG. .2, side wall 11 further includes an additional pair of side wall members 44 and 45. Herein wall members 4.4 and 45 are formed from a single sheet of flexible material draped .over outer pipe 29 and having itsedge portions 46 held in the sand of bed 27 adjacent V a drain tile 47 disposed therein. Thus, a first insulative air space 48 is formed between liner portion 39 and wall member 44 and a second insulative air space 49 is formed between Wall member 44 and wall member 45. A similar pair of i'nsulative air spaces 50 and '51 are formed in side wall 12 by means of similar side wall members 52 and 53, and a pair of air spaces 54 and 55 are similarly provided in end walls 13 and 14 by a pair of end wall members 56 and 57 together with liner end portion 41. To minimize heat losses through bottom liner wall portion 38, a layer of foam glass insulating brick 58 and a plastic vapor barrier 59 are installed in the sand bed 27 below wall portion 38.

As indicated above, cover 17 substantially extends the usefulness of swimming pool construction by permitting its use at times when the outdoor temperature is relatively low. As shown in FIG. 1, cover 17 comprises a plurality of sections 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, 17 f, 17g, 17h, 17i, and 17 extending horizontally over and laterally bounding air space 18. The sections overlap to form when desired a complete airtight enclosure of air space 18 effectively preventing air movement between the circumambient atmosphere and the air space 18.

Referring now more specifically to FIG. 2, the detailed construction of section 17:: may be seen, which construction is generally similar to the construction of the other sections with the exception of section 17a which will be discussed more fully hereinafter. Cover section 17a includes three flexible sheets 60, 61 and 62 draped respectively over three horizontally extending pipes 63, 64 and 65 carried on a support bracket 66 at the upper end of posts 24 and horizontally extending pipes 67, 68 and 69 carried on a support bracket 78 at the upper end of posts 31. Herein the support brackets are arranged to support the cover portions at an elevation of approximately 6 feet 6 inches to provide ample head room in air space 18. Bracket 66 supports pipes 63, 64 and 65 in vertically and horizontally spaced relationship and bracket 70 supports pipes 67, 68 and 69 similarly whereby the horizontal mid-portions 60a, 61a and 62a of sheets 60, 61 and 62 respectively are vertically spaced to provide a pair of insulating spaces 71 and 72 restricting heat loss upwardly from air space 18. One end 6012 of sheet 60 is draped over pipe 63 and hangs downwardly therefrom into sealing engagement with liner portion 39 of side wall 11. If desired, sealing strips 73 may be provided on the sheet end to assure the sealing engagement with the liner portion. The sheet end is weighted as by weights 74 to hold the sheet in position. Weights 74 are arranged to permit ready gathering of the sheets and may comprise pockets formed in the sheet edges and filled with material such as sand or marbles. Similarly, the opposite end 600 of sheet 60 is draped over horizontal pipe 67 to engage the opposite side portion of liner 37. Sheet end 60c may be similarly provided with sealing strip 73 and weights 74. The end 61b of sheet 61 is draped over horizontal pipe 64 and extends downwardly to outwardly of side wall 11 to have sealing engagement with the outer end of liner portion 39. The end 6212 of sheet 62 is draped over horizontal pipe 65 and'extends downwardly therefrom to have sealing engagement with sheet end 61b outwardly of side wall 11. Thus, the sheet ends 60b, 61b, and 62b co-operate to define a pair of insulating spaces 75 and 76 extending substantially between the insulating spaces 71 and 72 of the horizontal portion of the cover and the insulating spaces 48 and 49 of the side wall 11. Similarly, sheet 61 includes a second end 610 draped over horizontal pipe 68 and extending downwardly into sealing engagement with the opposite outer end of liner portion 40, and sheet 62 includes an opposite end 620 draped over horizontal pipe 69 and extending downwardly into sealing engagement with sheet end 610 outwardly of side Wall 12 to define a pair of insulating spaces 77 and 78 extending between insulating spaces 71 and 72 of the cover and insulating spaces and 51 of side wall '12.

The cover sheets are preferably formed of a flexible material such as a plastic which is light transmissive so that solar energy may be utilized to maintain the temperature within spaces 16 and 18, in the manner of a greenhouse. Further, the flexible nature of the sheets permits facilitated gathering thereof as illustrated by the showing of section 17 f in FIG. 1 to open portions of the pool to the circumambient atmosphere when desired such as when the outdoor temperature rises. When desired, all of the cover sections may be thusly gathered substantially completely opening the pool.

Cover section 17 j dififers somewhat from the construction of section 17f in that each of the sheets thereof may be extended laterally in one direction to form depending side flaps 79 closing the end of air space 18 at end wall 13. Due tothe necessity of elevating the cover adjacent end wall 14, the specific construction of cover section 17a differs from the construction of the other cover sections as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7. More specifically, cover section 17a includes three sheets 80, 81 and 82. The four posts 83 carrying the brackets 84 supporting the three horizontal pipes 85 congruently above side walls 11 and 12 over which the sheets 80, 81 and 82 are draped are substantially longer than the support posts 24 and 31 to provide additional head room necessary to accommodate the access to the pool by means of stile 22. Illustratively, the brackets may be disposed approximately 10 feet above ground level G to provide approximately 6 feet clearance over side wall 11. Instead of being draped over pipes 85 to extend downwardly into sealing engagement with side wall 11, the inner ends a, 81a and 82a of the cover sheets 80, 81 and 82 respectively are brought over pipes at a small angle to the horizontal to be draped over a second set of horizontal pipes 86 carried by a support 87 on shower gate 23. The opposite end portions 80b, 81b and 820 of the cover sheets are generally similar to end portions 60c, 61c and 620 of cover sheets 60, 61 and 62 although somewhat longer to extend downwardly from pipes 85 into sealing engagement with side wall 12 in a similar manner. To close the air space 18 longitudinally of the pool, cover sheets 80, 81 and 82 are further provided with short side flaps 80c, 81c and 82c respectively draped over three horizontal pipes 88 extending transversely to the pool at the upper ends of posts 83 and extending downwardly into sealing engagement with sheets 60, 61 and 62 of the adjacent cover section 17b, and long side flaps 80d, 81d and 82d draped over three horizontal pipes 89 extending transversely to the pool congruently above end wall 14, downwardly into sealing engagement with end wall 14. A pair of small side fiaps 90 may be provided on cover sheet ends 80a, 81a and 82a to extend downwardly therefrom into sealing engagement with a pair of thin wall members 91 defining a passage from shower gate 23 to the interior of the pool in which stile 22 is disposed.

As best seen in FIG. 7, stile 22 may include a plurality of steps 92 carried on a tubular frame 93 which may also form the handrail of the stile. A curtain 94 may be provided to close the opening from shower gate 23 adjacent stile 22 and thereby complete the enclosure of the pool construction 10 against air movement thereinto from the circumambient atmosphere.

As sunning space 19 is effectively enclosed by the pool and fence 20, a relatively warm pocket is formed therein permitting use of the sunning space at relatively low ambient temperatures. At moderated temperatures, the gathering of the cover sections, which may be secured in the gathered arrangement by suitable means such as ties 95 and the opening of gate 21 permits air circulation in sunning space 19 thereby precluding the development of excessive temperatures therein. Thus, not only may the swimming space withinthe pool construction be usable over a substantial range of ambient temperatures but also the sunning space 19'may'be usable over a corresponding substantial range range of ambient'temperatures. In

addition, the provision of the cover 17 in the pool construction and the arrangement of the sunning space so that accessibility thereto may be precluded by the simple expedient of locking gate 21, thereby precluding accessibility to the swimming space, offers a highly desirable safety feature, as unauthorized, unsupervised use of the pool is effectively precluded. As in the illustrated pool construction, the depth of water W in space 16 may be approximately 3 /2 feet and as side wall supports are readily available at all points in the pool, the pool is extremely safe for almost all persons down to the age of five or six years. However, as the pool construction provides an extended swimming length, the pool may be enjoyed by highly capable swimmers as well as novices.

The pool may be formed substantially fully of sheet plastic material and supporting pipe members and, thusly, is extremely economical and easily erected. As the water W urges the pipes outwardly, the pool may be reinforced by simple means such as flexible straps 96. The arrangement of the inner cover sheet to sealingly engage the inner surface of the pool walls precludes inadvertent outward movement thereof by splashing and vigorous activity in the pool and the arrangement of at least one outer cover sheet to engage the outer surface of the pool walls elfectiyely precludes undesired air movement into space 18 as by sudden wind gusts.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A swimming pool construction comprising: means defining substantially parallel, spaced apart, horizontally U-shaped side Walls; means at the opposite ends of the side walls defining end walls, the length of the side walls being a substantial multiple of the length of the end walls whereby the space enclosed by said side walls and end walls is a long, narrow space, the spacing between and the length of the legs of the U-shaped side walls being substantial to define a sunning area therebetween enclosed laterally by said walls on three sides only; and bottom wall means defining the bottom of said space.

2. A swimming pool construction comprising: means defining laterally spaced apart side walls extending upwardly from a flat ground level and horizontally turned to enclose partially a sunning space at said ground level; means at the opposite ends of the side walls defining end walls, the length of the side walls being a substantial multiple of the length of the end walls whereby the swimming space enclosed by said side walls and end walls is a long, narrow space; a bottom wall defining the bottom of said space, said bottom wall being disposed at said ground level; and means co-operating with said walls to complete the enclosing of the sunning space and having means providing controlled ingress and egress relative to said sunning space.

3. The swimming pool construction of claim 2 where in said walls are arranged to preclude access to said swimming space from outside the outermost walls, and means are provided for giving access to the swimming space from said sunning space only.

4. A swimming pool construction comprising: means defining laterally spaced apart side walls; means at the opposite ends of the side walls defining end walls, the length of the side walls being a substantial multiple of the length of the end walls whereby the space enclosed by said side walls and end walls is a long, narrow swimming space; a bottom wall defining the bottom of said swimming space; means providing a horizontally extending support generally vertically aligned with each of said spaced walls and spaced substantially thereabove; at least one cover member formed of a flexible light transmissive material carried on said support and having a first portion extending horizontally at a distance above the swimming space and second portions extending downwardly from opposite portions of said support to horizontally adjacent walls to enclose an air space above the pool permitting desired activity in the pool while preventing air movement to and from said air space. 5. A swimming pool cover construction comprising: means providing a horizontally extending support generally vertically aligned with the edge of a swimming pool and spaced substantially thereabove; a flexible, covor member formed of light transmissive material movably carried on said support and having a first portion overlying the pool and second portions extending downwardly from said first portion to the edge of the pool to enclose at least partially an air space above the pool permitting desired activity in the pool while restricting air movement to and from said air space.

6. The swimming pool cover construction of claim 5 wherein said second portions are weighted. 7. A swimming pool cover construction comprising: means providing a horizontally extending support generally vertically aligned with the edge of a swimming pool and spaced substantially thereabove; a first cover member formed of flexible, light transmissive material carried on said support and having a first portion extending horizontally to overlie the pool and at least one second portion extending downwardly from said first portion to at least one edge of the pool; a second cover member formed of flexible, light transmissive material carried on said support and having a first horizontal portion spaced above said first portion of the first cover member, and at least one second portion extending downwardly from said first portion of the second cover member to said at least one edge of the pool and spaced outwardly from said first portion of the second cover member, said cover members jointly forming a doublewalled, insulating cover enclosing an air space above the pool permitting desired activity in the pool while preventing air movement to and from said air space.

8. The swimming pool construction of claim 7 wherein a third flexible cover member formed of a light transmissive material is provided spaced outwardly of the second cover member jointly forming with the first and second cover members a triple-walled insulating cover. 9. A swimming pool construction comprising: a first thin wall member defining a vertical boundary of the pool swimming space; a second thin wall member spaced outwardly from the first wall member and defining therewith a substantially air-tight insulating space; means providing a support carrying said wall members and having an upper horizontal portion generally vertically aligned with said wall members and spaced substantially thereabove; a cover member formed of a flexible, light transmissive material carried on said support portion and having a first portion extending horizontally to overlie the swimming space and at least one second portion extending downwardly from said first portion to said wall members to enclose an air space above the pool permitting desired activity in the pool while preventing air movement to and from said air space.

10. A swimming pool wall construction comprising: a first wall member formed of light transmissive material defining a vertical boundary of the pool space; a second, wall member formed of light transmissive material spaced outwardly from the first wall member and defining therewith a substantially air-tight insulating space. 11. A swimming pool construction comprising: wall means defining a swimming space having a height in the order of 3 /2 feet, said wall means being formed of light transmissive material to permit solar energy to pass into water in said swimming space and be converted into heat therein; a cover formed of light transmissive material overlying said swimming space to permit solar energy to pass into the water in said swimming space and be converted into heat therein, said cover including a transverse portion spaced above the swimming space to provide an air space thereabove, said wall means and said cover being double-walled to provide a heat-insulative air blanket laterally of and above the swimming space, the ratio of the volume of said swimming space to the area of the light transmissive wall means and cover being preselected to permit solar energy to effect a desired heating of the water; and means thermally insulating the bottom of said swimming space to conserve heat in the Water.

12. A swimming pool wall construction comprising: a first wall member defining a vertical boundary of the pool space; a second, thin wall member spaced outwardly from the first wall member and defining therewith a substantially air-tight insulating space; and a third, thin wall member spaced outwardly from the second wall member and defining therewith a second, substantially air-tight insulating space, said wall members being formed of a thin plastic material providing ready transfer of energy from sunlight impinging on the outer surface thereof to inwardly thereof.

13. A swimming pool construction comprising: spaced apart, thin wall members defining an insulative doublewall enclosure means opening upwardly to form a swimming space; and spaced apart, thin wall members defining an insulative double-wall enclosure means opening downwardly to form an air space extending above said swimming space, said wall members being formed of a thin plastic material providing ready transfer of energy from sunlight impinging on the outer surface thereof to inwardly thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 743,039 Scott Nov. 3, 1903 1,092,707 Freeland Apr. 7, 1914 1,285,259 Lippincott Nov. 19, 1918 1,331,270 Lippincott 'Feb. 17, 1920 2,080,601 Cappuocio May 18, 1937 2,084,236 Babb June 15, 1937 2,471,302 Boward May 24, 1949 2,682,274 Miller June 29, 1954 2,854,014 Hasselquist Sept. 30, 1958 2,859,457 Manhart Nov. 11, 1958 2,878,488 Doskocil Mar. 24, 1959 2,908,919 Bicknell et a1. Oct. 20, 1959 2,914,776 Hotz Dec. 1, '1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 793,984 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1958 

